Evidences of Evolution

Multiple Choice

The graph provided shows the levels of oxygen in the atmosphere over billions of years. During stage one, what types of organisms may have been able to survive at this time based on the data provided here and evidence that exists for the origins of life?

• Aerobic and eukaryotic 

• Anaerobic and eukaryotic

• Aerobic and prokaryotic

• Anaerobic and prokaryotic

Word Cloud

What words do you associate with when your hear the word "Evolution?"

Word Cloud

Based on the picture, What do you think is a common ancestor?

Open Ended

What is the connection between common ancestors and universal genetic code?

What is the connection between common ancestors and universal genetic code?

First, common ancestors are like distant relatives that all living organisms share.
This means that a long time ago, there was one ancestor from which all life on Earth eventually came from. As time passed, this ancestor's descendants changed and evolved into the different plants, animals, and other creatures we see today.

Second, the universal genetic code is like a language that all living things use to read their genetic instructions. This code tells cells how to build proteins, which are important for life. What's fascinating is that this genetic code is the same for almost every living thing, from tiny bacteria to complex animals like humans.

So, the reason why all living things use the same genetic code is because they all came from that one common ancestor way back in history. As life evolved and spread out, this genetic code stayed the same across different species. This shared code is strong evidence that all living things are related and descended from that same ancestor.

What do scientists mean when they call evolution a theory?

Like gravity and plate tectonics, evolution is a scientific theory. In science, a theory is the most logical explanation for how a natural phenomenon works. It is well tested and supported by abundant evidence. It means quite the opposite from our informal use of the word theory, which implies an untested opinion or guess. As a scientific theory, evolution enables scientists to make predictions and drives investigations that lead to new kinds of observable evidence. 

How does evolution work?

To survive, living things adapt to their surroundings. Occasionally a genetic variation gives one member of a species an edge. That individual passes the beneficial gene on to its descendents. More individuals with the new trait survive and pass it on to their descendents. If many beneficial traits arise over time, a new species—better equipped to meet the challenges of its environment—evolves.

Open Ended

Got any idea how are humans and monkeys related?

How are humans and monkeys related?

Humans and monkeys are both primates. But humans are not descended from monkeys or any other primate living today. We do share a common ape ancestor with chimpanzees. It lived between 8 and 6 million years ago. But humans and chimpanzees evolved differently from that same ancestor. All apes and monkeys share a more distant relative, which lived about 25 million years ago.

​How does the biogeography record support the theory of evolution?

Distribution Patterns: Where species are found in different places can tell us about their family history. If similar species live near each other, it suggests they come from a common ancestor and changed over time.

Island Biogeography: Islands are great examples of evolution because they often have unique species that evolved separately from mainland animals. This supports the idea that new species can form when animals are isolated and adapt to new surroundings.

​Convergent Evolution: Sometimes, unrelated species develop similar traits because they face similar challenges in their environments. For example, kangaroos in Australia and rabbits in other places look similar even though they're not closely related.

Endemism: Species found only in certain areas can give clues about how they evolved and adapted to their surroundings over time.

Fossil Distribution: Fossils found in different places can show us how species spread and changed over history. For instance, finding similar fossils on separate continents suggests those places were once connected, allowing animals to move between them and evolve differently.

Open Ended

How does the biogeography record support the theory of evolution?

​How does the fossil record support the theory of evolution?

• Order of Fossils: Fossils in layers of rock show simpler creatures in older layers and more complex ones in younger layers, supporting the idea of gradual change.

• Where Fossils are Found: Fossils in nearby places often look similar, suggesting they came from common ancestors and changed as they spread out.

• Extinction Events: Big changes in Earth's environments, seen in fossils, led to

• Body Similarities: Body parts in different species' fossils show they come from the same ancestors.

• Leftover Structures: Some fossils have body parts that aren't used anymore, like whale fossils with tiny legs, showing their ancestors used to walk on land.

• Transitional Fossils: Fossils that have features of both old and new species show how animals changed over time.

Open Ended

How does the fossil record support the theory of evolution?

​In gradualism, butterfly evolution would involve slow and continuous changes over time, with transitional forms and adaptations occurring gradually.

In contrast, punctuated equilibrium would suggest that butterfly evolution involves rapid bursts of change separated by long periods of stability, with fewer transitional forms and major adaptations occurring relatively quickly in response to environmental triggers.

Open Ended

What differences can you observe in the 3 different species of Galápagos finches?

​These three species of Galápagos finches have different adaptations because they specialize in utilizing different food sources. Natural selection favored traits that help each species obtain and use their specific food efficiently.

Factors like resource availability, dietary specialization, ecological niches, evolutionary pressures, and habitat variation influenced the development of these adaptations. Overall, these adaptations reflect the finches' specialized diets and ecological roles, enabling them to thrive in their respective habitats.

​
A vestigial organ is a structure in an organism that has lost most or all of its original function through evolution. Despite being present in the organism, it no longer serves the same purpose as it did in its ancestors. In the case of the cave fish with small non-functioning eyes, the eyes are considered vestigial organs because they have become reduced in size and no longer function in sight, likely due to the adaptation to a dark cave environment where vision is unnecessary.

​How does observable change support the theory of evolution?

Observable change helps prove evolution by showing how living things slowly change over time. We see differences in traits within groups of animals, and those with helpful traits survive better and have more babies. This leads to changes in populations over many generations. We can also see how animals adapt to their environments, like birds with different beak sizes for different foods.

Fossils also show us how animals have changed over millions of years. Studies in labs also confirm these ideas. Overall, what we see happening in nature supports the idea that living things change and evolve over time.

Open Ended

​How does observable change support the theory of evolution?

​Comparative anatomy supports evolution by showing how different species share similar body structures, indicating common ancestry. It identifies homologous structures (similar structures with different functions), analogous structures (similar functions with different origins), and vestigial structures (remnants of ancestral features). Comparative embryology also reveals shared developmental patterns among species.

Together, these observations provide evidence for gradual evolutionary change over time and the adaptation of organisms to their environments.

Open Ended

How does comparative anatomy support the theory of evolution?

Comparative embryology supports evolution by showing similarities in the early development of different species, suggesting common ancestry. It reveals shared developmental patterns, homologous structures, and vestigial features in embryos across diverse organisms. These observations provide evidence for evolutionary relationships and the gradual modification of traits over time.

Open Ended

How does comparative embryology support the theory of evolution?

​○Cytochrome C protein is found in the mitochondrial membrane and plays an important role in cellular respiration.

○Cytochrome C protein if found in many different species due to its important role in cellular respiration.

○This is only a portion of the Cytochrome C amino acid sequence.

○Each letter represent a different amino acid in the sequence.

○Bolded letters represents amino acids that are identical in that position in all species.

○Asterisks represent positions that do not have amino acid present.

○Purpose - Compare different species cytochrome C protein to humans to determine which species is more closely related to humans. 

●The amino acids in tuna that differs from the human sequence. Tuna should have 5 amino acids circled.

Multiple Choice

Which organism is most closely related to humans?  

• Tuna 5

• Pig, Cow, Sheep 3

• Neurospora 14

Multiple Choice

Which organism is most l related to humans?  

• Tuna 5

• Pig, Cow, Sheep 3

• Neurospora 14

​Molecular homology supports evolution by revealing similarities in DNA, RNA, and protein sequences among different species.

These shared molecular features suggest common ancestry and evolutionary relationships. Conserved genes, gene duplication, and phylogenetic analysis help reconstruct evolutionary history and understand the genetic basis of biodiversity.

Overall, molecular homology provides evidence for the theory of evolution by demonstrating patterns of genetic similarity and evolutionary change across diverse organisms.

Open Ended

How does molecular homology support the theory of evolution? 

​References

https://humanorigins.si.edu/education/frequently-asked-questions
https://humanorigins.si.edu/evidence/genetics
https://blogs.iu.edu/sciu/2017/09/26/why-are-there-still-apes/